How To Visit The Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West

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It’s no secret that vagabonds and artists have been in Key West, Florida, for decades, but did you know that one famous US President also couldn’t resist the island’s charm?  Or maybe it was the Conch Fritters, but either way — it’s true!  Harry S. Truman loved Key West so much that he made his winter home there.  Today, visitors flock to the Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West to walk a little in this well-known man’s shoes!

He made a total of 11 trips to this coastal retreat himself, and did you know that the Truman Little White House is still a functioning retreat for US Presidents?

It had played host to six over the years, including John Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. And if that’s not even, it even hosted Thomas Edison for an extended stay during World War I.

READ: 19+ Things To Do In Key West

Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West, Florida

As Florida’s only presidential museum, the Harry S. Truman Little White House is a place you must visit at least once! Nestled in the Truman Annex on the island’s western side, this gem could be easily missed if you walked past the Presidential gates on Whitehead Street. 

But, when you do, you are greeted by Bougainville-draped white picket fences and charming homes. After turning a corner onto Front Street, you spot the Little White House, adorned in red, white, and blue, of course.

I always joke that my favorite places are the ones where the Bougainvillea grows wild.  And Key West has no shortage of my favorite blooms! 

History of the Truman Little White House

Like Hemingway’s Key West House, the Truman Little White House also stood long before Truman set foot inside. It was constructed over 50 years prior, back in 1890, and was part of the naval officer housing. In fact, President William Howard Taft stayed there back in 1912, long before Harry S. Truman.

But, it was Truman who fell hard for this coastal retreat. He spent a total of 175 days of his presidency here between 1946 and 1952, and with that, it became known as the Truman Little White House. You can view all of the logs from his trips here; they are fascinating!

As mentioned above, it is still an active presidential retreat. It has hosted presidents and dignitaries alike since Truman’s time here. The tour does not go through a portion of the home, as that section is where they would stay if they choose to pay Key West and the Little White Houe a visit!

Visiting the Little White House in Key West

Centrally located in the northwest portion of the island and only a few blocks from the hustle and bustle of Duval Street and Sloppy Joes, you must know what you are looking for, or you could easily miss Truman’s Little White House!

Once you arrive, a canopy is set up where you can buy tour tickets or redeem your online ticket.

Location, Hours, and Admission

Harry S. Truman Little White House is located at 111 Front Street, Key West, Florida, and is open 365 days a year – including all holidays, from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm.  The last tour starts at 4:00 pm.

Booking.com

Old Town Trolley Tour Stop: Truman’s White House

If you are touring Key West on the famous Old Town Trolley Tour, you can get off at stop 1A to visit the Truman Little White House. It’s just a few blocks south of the train depot and near the famous Mallory Square!

You can pre-purchase your Harry S. Truman Little White House tickets. You can also book a VIP White Glove Tour for up to 6 people, including a ride in his 1949 presidential limousine!

The Old Town Trolley Tour is also a great way to see other popular Key West attractions, including the famous Hemingway House. And while Truman’s first visit to Key West came about 15 years after Hemingway’s and several years after Hemingway left the island for Cuba, did Truman and Hemingway ever meet? They may have crossed paths on one of Hemingway’s visits back to Key West!

Truman Little White House Guided Tours

The only way that you can see inside the Truman Little White House in Key West is via a guided tour of Truman’s Little House.

This is really to your benefit because the guides are incredibly knowledgeable and able to point out so many interesting things, but also necessary as the home houses an incredible number of artifacts – 90% original to Harry S. Truman himself!

The tour lasts approx. 30 minutes and is with a small group.

A Look Inside the Little White House in Key West, Florida

As I mentioned above, photography typically isn’t permitted while touring the Truman Little White House. However, I was given an acceptance and have some beautiful photos from my visit to share with you today!

So, I will finish up my blog post by sharing the remainder of the photos that I took, adding some commentary as I go but leaving some behind so that you can experience it in totality yourself!

And those gorgeous chairs, the poker table, and even that white chicken statue sure have some stories to tell! As the saying goes, “If only these walls could talk…”.

Harry S. Truman Little White House Photos

Truman Little White House Gift Shop

There is also a great little gift shop/museum that you can browse before or after your guided Truman White House tour. And I am relatively sure that a ticket is not required to visit the gift shop.

The photos below were all taken in the small museum area accessible through the gift shop! And while it is small, there is a lot of great information that is easy to navigate through, and I learned a lot more than I expected about Harry S. Truman. 

He is one president that I didn’t know a lot about. I was surprised to read that while his approval rating was low when he left office, he is now considered one of the top 6 US Presidents. This is according to a C-SPAN survey that you can see here.

Plan Your Visit To Key West, Florida

I am midway through writing a series of blog posts about my most recent trip to Key West! You can click here to read them all, and I hope they inspire you to plan your trip to Key West! Make sure to take a ride on the iconic Conch Train.

There is so much to do and see that you’ll find yourself going back in time, just like Harry did!

Here are some hotel options that are centrally located to the main attractions in downtown Key West, Florida. I repeat this time and time again, but walkability is very important to us when we travel, so you can’t go wrong with any in this area!

PIN my Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West Blog Post